Systems and methods for interprocess communication of wagering opportunities and/or wager requests

ABSTRACT

Various embodiments may include offering wagering opportunities, receiving wager requests, balancing risk, determining wager requests to accepted based on risk, forming wagers based on wager request, and/or performing other actions by one or more apparatus. Further methods and apparatus are described.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No.61/380,862 to Amaitis, et al., entitled “Wagering Portal” filed on Sep.8, 2010; U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/393,672 to Amaitis, et al.,entitled “Wagering Portal” filed on Oct. 15, 2010; and U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 61/405,354 to Amaitis, et al., entitled “InsideWagering” filed on Oct. 21, 2010, all of which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example method that may be performed in someembodiments;

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method of determining a wageringopportunity that may be performed in some embodiments;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method of submitting a wager request thatmay be performed in some embodiments;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 7 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 9 illustrates an example method of accepting wager requests thatmay be performed in some embodiments;

FIG. 10 illustrates an example interface that may be used in someembodiments;

FIG. 11 illustrates an example method modeling a wager based on statesthat may be used in some embodiments; and

FIG. 12 illustrates an example system that may be used in someembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION I. Terms

The term “product” means any machine, manufacture and/or composition ofmatter, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “process” means any process, algorithm, method or the like,unless expressly specified otherwise.

Each process (whether called a method, algorithm or otherwise)inherently includes one or more steps, and therefore all references to a“step” or “steps” of a process have an inherent antecedent basis in themere recitation of the term ‘process’ or a like term. Accordingly, anyreference in a claim to a ‘step’ or ‘steps’ of a process has sufficientantecedent basis.

The term “invention” and the like mean “the one or more inventionsdisclosed in this application”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “an embodiment”, “embodiment”, “embodiments”, “theembodiment”, “the embodiments”, “one or more embodiments”, “someembodiments”, “certain embodiments”, “one embodiment”, “anotherembodiment” and the like mean “one or more (but not all) embodiments ofthe disclosed invention(s)”, unless expressly specified otherwise.

The term “variation” of an invention means an embodiment of theinvention, unless expressly specified otherwise.

A reference to “another embodiment” in describing an embodiment does notimply that the referenced embodiment is mutually exclusive with anotherembodiment (e.g., an embodiment described before the referencedembodiment), unless expressly specified otherwise.

The terms “including”, “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not necessarily limited to”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the portfolio includes a redwidget and a blue widget” means the portfolio includes the red widgetand the blue widget but may include something else.

The term “consisting of” and variations thereof means “including andlimited to”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, for example,the sentence “the portfolio consists of a red widget and a blue widget”means the portfolio includes the red widget and the blue widget but doesnot include anything else.

The term “compose” and variations thereof means “to make up theconstituent parts of, component of, or member of”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. Thus, for example, the sentence “the red widget andthe blue widget compose a portfolio” means the portfolio includes thered widget and the blue widget.

The term “exclusively compose” and variations thereof means “to make upexclusively the constituent parts of, to be the only components of or tobe the only members of”, unless expressly specified otherwise. Thus, forexample, the sentence “the red widget and the blue widget exclusivelycompose a portfolio” means the portfolio consists of the red widget andthe blue widget, and nothing else.

The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise.

The term “plurality” means “two or more”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The term “herein” means “in the present application, including anythingwhich may be incorporated by reference”, unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifies a plurality ofthings (such as an enumerated list of things) means any combination ofone or more of those things, unless expressly specified otherwise. Forexample, the phrase “at least one of a widget, a car and a wheel” meanseither (i) a widget, (ii) a car, (iii) a wheel, (iv) a widget and a car,(v) a widget and a wheel, (vi) a car and a wheel, or (vii) a widget, acar and a wheel. The phrase “at least one of”, when such phrase modifiesa plurality of things does not mean “one of each of” the plurality ofthings.

Numerical terms such as “one”, “two”, etc. when used as cardinal numbersto indicate quantity of something (e.g., one widget, two widgets), meanthe quantity indicated by that numerical term, but do not mean at leastthe quantity indicated by that numerical term. For example, the phrase“one widget” does not mean “at least one widget”, and therefore thephrase “one widget” does not cover, e.g., two widgets.

The phrase “based on” does not mean “based only on”, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. In other words, the phrase “based on” describesboth “based only on” and “based at least on”. The phrase “based at leaston” is equivalent to the phrase “based at least in part on”.

The term “represent” and like terms are not exclusive, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. For example, the term “represents” does not mean“represents only”, unless expressly specified otherwise. In other words,the phrase “the data represents a credit card number” describes both“the data represents only a credit card number” and “the data representsa credit card number, and the data also represents something else”.

The term “whereby” is used herein only to precede a clause or other setof words that express only the intended result, objective or consequenceof something that is previously and explicitly recited. Thus, when theterm “whereby” is used in a claim, the clause or other words that theterm “whereby” modifies do not establish specific further limitations ofthe claim or otherwise restricts the meaning or scope of the claim.

The term “e.g.” and like terms mean “for example”, and thus does notlimit the term or phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “thecomputer sends data (e.g., instructions, a data structure) over theInternet”, the term “e.g.” explains that “instructions” are an exampleof “data” that the computer may send over the Internet, and alsoexplains that “a data structure” is an example of “data” that thecomputer may send over the Internet. However, both “instructions” and “adata structure” are merely examples of “data”, and other things besides“instructions” and “a data structure” can be “data”.

The term “respective” and like terms mean “taken individually”. Thus iftwo or more things have “respective” characteristics, then each suchthing has its own characteristic, and these characteristics can bedifferent from each other but need not be. For example, the phrase “eachof two machines has a respective function” means that the first suchmachine has a function and the second such machine has a function aswell. The function of the first machine may or may not be the same asthe function of the second machine.

The term “i.e.” and like terms mean “that is”, and thus limits the termor phrase it explains. For example, in the sentence “the computer sendsdata (i.e., instructions) over the Internet”, the term “i.e.” explainsthat “instructions” are the “data” that the computer sends over theInternet.

Any given numerical range shall include whole and fractions of numberswithin the range. For example, the range “1 to 10” shall be interpretedto specifically include whole numbers between 1 and 10 (e.g., 1, 2, 3,4, . . . 9) and non-whole numbers (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, . . . 1.9).

Where two or more terms or phrases are synonymous (e.g., because of anexplicit statement that the terms or phrases are synonymous), instancesof one such term/phrase does not mean instances of another suchterm/phrase must have a different meaning. For example, where astatement renders the meaning of “including” to be synonymous with“including but not limited to”, the mere usage of the phrase “includingbut not limited to” does not mean that the term “including” meanssomething other than “including but not limited to”.

II. Determining

The term “determining” and grammatical variants thereof (e.g., todetermine a price, determining a value, determine an object which meetsa certain criterion) is used in an extremely broad sense. The term“determining” encompasses a wide variety of actions and therefore“determining” can include calculating, computing, processing, deriving,investigating, looking up (e.g., looking up in a table, a database oranother data structure), ascertaining and the like. Also, “determining”can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g.,accessing data in a memory) and the like. Also, “determining” caninclude resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply certainty or absolute precision,and therefore “determining” can include estimating, extrapolating,predicting, guessing and the like.

The term “determining” does not imply that mathematical processing mustbe performed and does not imply that numerical methods must be used anddoes not imply that an algorithm or process is used.

The term “determining” does not imply that any particular device must beused. For example, a computer need not necessarily perform thedetermining.

III. Forms of Sentences

Where a limitation of a first claim would cover one of a feature as wellas more than one of a feature (e.g., a limitation such as “at least onewidget” covers one widget as well as more than one widget), and where ina second claim that depends on the first claim, the second claim uses adefinite article “the” to refer to the limitation (e.g., “the widget”),this does not imply that the first claim covers only one of the feature,and this does not imply that the second claim covers only one of thefeature (e.g., “the widget” can cover both one widget and more than onewidget).

When an ordinal number (such as “first”, “second”, “third” and so on) isused as an adjective before a term, that ordinal number is used (unlessexpressly specified otherwise) merely to indicate a particular feature,such as to distinguish that particular feature from another feature thatis described by the same term or by a similar term. For example, a“first widget” may be so named merely to distinguish it from, e.g., a“second widget”. Thus, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers “first” and“second” before the term “widget” does not indicate any otherrelationship between the two widgets, and likewise does not indicate anyother characteristics of either or both widgets. For example, the mereusage of the ordinal numbers “first” and “second” before the term“widget” (1) does not indicate that either widget comes before or afterany other in order or location; (2) does not indicate that either widgetoccurs or acts before or after any other in time; and (3) does notindicate that either widget ranks above or below any other, as inimportance or quality. In addition, the mere usage of ordinal numbersdoes not define a numerical limit to the features identified with theordinal numbers. For example, the mere usage of the ordinal numbers“first” and “second” before the term “widget” does not indicate thatthere must be no more than two widgets.

When a single device, article or other product is described herein, morethan one device/article (whether or not they cooperate) mayalternatively be used in place of the single device/article that isdescribed. Accordingly, the functionality that is described as beingpossessed by a device may alternatively be possessed by more than onedevice/article (whether or not they cooperate).

Similarly, where more than one device, article or other product isdescribed herein (whether or not they cooperate), a singledevice/article may alternatively be used in place of the more than onedevice or article that is described. For example, a plurality ofcomputer-based devices may be substituted with a single computer-baseddevice. Accordingly, the various functionality that is described asbeing possessed by more than one device or article may alternatively bepossessed by a single device/article.

The functionality and/or the features of a single device that isdescribed may be alternatively embodied by one or more other deviceswhich are described but are not explicitly described as having suchfunctionality/features. Thus, other embodiments need not include thedescribed device itself, but rather can include the one or more otherdevices which would, in those other embodiments, have suchfunctionality/features.

IV. Disclosed Examples and Terminology Are Not Limiting

Neither the Title (set forth at the beginning of the first page of thepresent application) nor the Abstract (set forth at the end of thepresent application) is to be taken as limiting in any way as the scopeof the disclosed invention(s), is to be used in interpreting the meaningof any claim or is to be used in limiting the scope of any claim. AnAbstract has been included in this application merely because anAbstract is required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b).

The title of the present application and headings of sections providedin the present application are for convenience only and are not to betaken as limiting the disclosure in any way.

Numerous embodiments are described in the present application and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot, and are not intended to be, limiting in any sense. The presentlydisclosed invention(s) are widely applicable to numerous embodiments, asis readily apparent from the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in theart will recognize that the disclosed invention(s) may be practiced withvarious modifications and alterations, such as structural, logical,software, and electrical modifications. Although particular features ofthe disclosed invention(s) may be described with reference to one ormore particular embodiments and/or drawings, it should be understoodthat such features are not limited to usage in the one or moreparticular embodiments or drawings with reference to which they aredescribed, unless expressly specified otherwise.

Though an embodiment may be disclosed as including several features,other embodiments of the invention may include fewer than all suchfeatures. Thus, for example, a claim may be directed to less than theentire set of features in a disclosed embodiment, and such claim wouldnot include features beyond those features that the claim expresslyrecites.

No embodiment of method steps or product elements described in thepresent application constitutes the invention claimed herein, or isessential to the invention claimed herein, or is coextensive with theinvention claimed herein, except where it is either expressly stated tobe so in this specification or expressly recited in a claim.

The preambles of the claims that follow recite purposes, benefits andpossible uses of the claimed invention only and do not limit the claimedinvention.

The present disclosure is not a literal description of all embodimentsof the invention(s). Also, the present disclosure is not a listing offeatures of the invention(s) which must be present in all embodiments.

All disclosed embodiment are not necessarily covered by the claims (evenincluding all pending, amended, issued and canceled claims). Inaddition, an embodiment may be (but need not necessarily be) covered byseveral claims. Accordingly, where a claim (regardless of whetherpending, amended, issued or canceled) is directed to a particularembodiment, such is not evidence that the scope of other claims do notalso cover that embodiment.

Devices that are described as in communication with each other need notbe in continuous communication with each other, unless expresslyspecified otherwise. On the contrary, such devices need only transmit toeach other as necessary or desirable and may actually refrain fromexchanging data most of the time. For example, a machine incommunication with another machine via the Internet may not transmitdata to the other machine for long period of time (e.g. weeks at atime). In addition, devices that are in communication with each othermay communicate directly or indirectly through one or moreintermediaries.

A description of an embodiment with several components or features doesnot imply that all or even any of such components/features are required.On the contrary, a variety of optional components are described toillustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the presentinvention(s). Unless otherwise specified explicitly, nocomponent/feature is essential or required.

Although process steps, algorithms or the like may be described orclaimed in a particular sequential order, such processes may beconfigured to work in different orders. In other words, any sequence ororder of steps that may be explicitly described or claimed does notnecessarily indicate a requirement that the steps be performed in thatorder. The steps of processes described herein may be performed in anyorder possible. Further, some steps may be performed simultaneouslydespite being described or implied as occurring non-simultaneously(e.g., because one step is described after the other step). Moreover,the illustration of a process by its depiction in a drawing does notimply that the illustrated process is exclusive of other variations andmodifications thereto, does not imply that the illustrated process orany of its steps are necessary to the invention(s), and does not implythat the illustrated process is preferred.

Although a process may be described as including a plurality of steps,that does not imply that all or any of the steps are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other processes that omit some or all ofthe described steps. Unless otherwise specified explicitly, no step isessential or required.

Although a process may be described singly or without reference to otherproducts or methods, in an embodiment the process may interact withother products or methods. For example, such interaction may includelinking one business model to another business model. Such interactionmay be provided to enhance the flexibility or desirability of theprocess.

Although a product may be described as including a plurality ofcomponents, aspects, qualities, characteristics and/or features, thatdoes not indicate that any or all of the plurality are preferred,essential or required. Various other embodiments within the scope of thedescribed invention(s) include other products that omit some or all ofthe described plurality.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unlessexpressly specified otherwise. Likewise, an enumerated list of items(which may or may not be numbered) does not imply that any or all of theitems are comprehensive of any category, unless expressly specifiedotherwise. For example, the enumerated list “a computer, a laptop, aPDA” does not imply that any or all of the three items of that list aremutually exclusive and does not imply that any or all of the three itemsof that list are comprehensive of any category.

An enumerated list of items (which may or may not be numbered) does notimply that any or all of the items are equivalent to each other orreadily substituted for each other.

All embodiments are illustrative, and do not imply that the invention orany embodiments were made or performed, as the case may be.

V. Computing

It will be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that thevarious processes described herein may be implemented by, e.g.,appropriately programmed general purpose computers, special purposecomputers and computing devices. Typically a processor (e.g., one ormore microprocessors, one or more microcontrollers, one or more digitalsignal processors) will receive instructions (e.g., from a memory orlike device), and execute those instructions, thereby performing one ormore processes defined by those instructions. Instructions may beembodied in, e.g., one or more computer programs, one or more scripts.

A “processor” means one or more microprocessors, central processingunits (CPUs), computing devices, microcontrollers, digital signalprocessors, or like devices or any combination thereof, regardless ofthe architecture (e.g., chip-level multiprocessing/multi-core, RISC,CISC, Microprocessor without Interlocked Pipeline Stages, pipeliningconfiguration, simultaneous multithreading).

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of anapparatus for performing the process. The apparatus that performs theprocess can include, e.g., a processor and those input devices andoutput devices that are appropriate to perform the process.

Further, programs that implement such methods (as well as other types ofdata) may be stored and transmitted using a variety of media (e.g.,computer readable media) in a number of manners. In some embodiments,hard-wired circuitry or custom hardware may be used in place of, or incombination with, some or all of the software instructions that canimplement the processes of various embodiments. Thus, variouscombinations of hardware and software may be used instead of softwareonly.

The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium, a plurality ofthe same, or a combination of different media, that participate inproviding data (e.g., instructions, data structures) which may be readby a computer, a processor or a like device. Such a medium may take manyforms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media,and transmission media. Non-volatile media include, for example, opticalor magnetic disks and other persistent memory. Volatile media includedynamic random access memory (DRAM), which typically constitutes themain memory. Transmission media include coaxial cables, copper wire andfiber optics, including the wires that comprise a system bus coupled tothe processor. Transmission media may include or convey acoustic waves,light waves and electromagnetic emissions, such as those generatedduring radio frequency (RF) and infrared (IR) data communications.Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppydisk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, a CD-ROM, DVD, any other optical medium, punch cards, papertape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM,an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrierwave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computercan read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carryingdata (e.g. sequences of instructions) to a processor. For example, datamay be (i) delivered from RAM to a processor; (ii) carried over awireless transmission medium; (iii) formatted and/or transmittedaccording to numerous formats, standards or protocols, such as Ethernet(or IEEE 802.3), SAP, ATP, Bluetooth, and TCP/IP, TDMA, CDMA, and 3G;and/or (iv) encrypted to ensure privacy or prevent fraud in any of avariety of ways well known in the art.

Thus a description of a process is likewise a description of acomputer-readable medium storing a program for performing the process.The computer-readable medium can store (in any appropriate format) thoseprogram elements which are appropriate to perform the method.

Just as the description of various steps in a process does not indicatethat all the described steps are required, embodiments of an apparatusinclude a computer/computing device operable to perform some (but notnecessarily all) of the described process.

Likewise, just as the description of various steps in a process does notindicate that all the described steps are required, embodiments of acomputer-readable medium storing a program or data structure include acomputer-readable medium storing a program that, when executed, cancause a processor to perform some (but not necessarily all) of thedescribed process.

Where databases are described, it will be understood by one of ordinaryskill in the art that (i) alternative database structures to thosedescribed may be readily employed, and (ii) other memory structuresbesides databases may be readily employed. Any illustrations ordescriptions of any sample databases presented herein are illustrativearrangements for stored representations of information. Any number ofother arrangements may be employed besides those suggested by, e.g.,tables illustrated in drawings or elsewhere. Similarly, any illustratedentries of the databases represent exemplary information only; one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the number and content ofthe entries can be different from those described herein. Further,despite any depiction of the databases as tables, other formats(including relational databases, object-based models and/or distributeddatabases) could be used to store and manipulate the data typesdescribed herein. Likewise, object methods or behaviors of a databasecan be used to implement various processes, such as the describedherein. In addition, the databases may, in a known manner, be storedlocally or remotely from a device which accesses data in such adatabase.

Various embodiments can be configured to work in a network environmentincluding a computer that is in communication (e.g., via acommunications network) with one or more devices. The computer maycommunicate with the devices directly or indirectly, via any wired orwireless medium (e.g. the Internet, LAN, WAN or Ethernet, Token Ring, atelephone line, a cable line, a radio channel, an optical communicationsline, commercial on-line service providers, bulletin board systems, asatellite communications link, a combination of any of the above). Eachof the devices may themselves comprise computers or other computingdevices, such as those based on the Intel® Pentium® or Centrino™processor, that are adapted to communicate with the computer. Any numberand type of devices may be in communication with the computer.

In an embodiment, a server computer or centralized authority may not benecessary or desirable. For example, the present invention may, in anembodiment, be practiced on one or more devices without a centralauthority. In such an embodiment, any functions described herein asperformed by the server computer or data described as stored on theserver computer may instead be performed by or stored on one or moresuch devices.

Where a process is described, in an embodiment the process may operatewithout any user intervention. In another embodiment, the processincludes some human intervention (e.g., a step is performed by or withthe assistance of a human).

VI. Continuing Applications

The present disclosure provides, to one of ordinary skill in the art, anenabling description of several embodiments and/or inventions. Some ofthese embodiments and/or inventions may not be claimed in the presentapplication but may nevertheless be claimed in one or more continuingapplications that claim the benefit of priority of the presentapplication.

Applicants intend to file additional applications to pursue patents forsubject matter that has been disclosed and enabled but not claimed inthe present application.

VII. 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6

In a claim, a limitation of the claim which includes the phrase “meansfor” or the phrase “step for” means that 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6,applies to that limitation.

In a claim, a limitation of the claim which does not include the phrase“means for” or the phrase “step for” means that 35 U.S.C. § 112,paragraph 6 does not apply to that limitation, regardless of whetherthat limitation recites a function without recitation of structure,material or acts for performing that function. For example, in a claim,the mere use of the phrase “step of” or the phrase “steps of” inreferring to one or more steps of the claim or of another claim does notmean that 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, applies to that step(s).

With respect to a means or a step for performing a specified function inaccordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, the correspondingstructure, material or acts described in the specification, andequivalents thereof, may perform additional functions as well as thespecified function.

Computers, processors, computing devices and like products arestructures that can perform a wide variety of functions. Such productscan be operable to perform a specified function by executing one or moreprograms, such as a program stored in a memory device of that product orin a memory device which that product accesses. Unless expresslyspecified otherwise, such a program need not be based on any particularalgorithm, such as any particular algorithm that might be disclosed inthe present application. It is well known to one of ordinary skill inthe art that a specified function may be implemented via differentalgorithms, and any of a number of different algorithms would be a meredesign choice for carrying out the specified function.

Therefore, with respect to a means or a step for performing a specifiedfunction in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6, structurecorresponding to a specified function includes any product programmed toperform the specified function. Such structure includes programmedproducts which perform the function, regardless of whether such productis programmed with (i) a disclosed algorithm for performing thefunction, (ii) an algorithm that is similar to a disclosed algorithm, or(iii) a different algorithm for performing the function. Where there isrecited a means for performing a function that is a method, onestructure for performing this method includes a computing device (e.g.,a general purpose computer) that is programmed and/or configured withappropriate hardware to perform that function. Also included is acomputing device (e.g., a general purpose computer) that is programmedand/or configured with appropriate hardware to perform that function viaother algorithms as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in theart.

VIII. Disclaimer

Numerous references to a particular embodiment do not indicate adisclaimer or disavowal of additional, different embodiments, andsimilarly references to the description of embodiments which all includea particular feature do not indicate a disclaimer or disavowal ofembodiments which do not include that particular feature. A cleardisclaimer or disavowal in the present application shall be prefaced bythe phrase “does not include” or by the phrase “cannot perform”.

IX. Incorporation By Reference

Any patent, patent application or other document referred to herein isincorporated by reference into this patent application as part of thepresent disclosure, but only for purposes of written description andenablement in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 1, and shouldin no way be used to limit, define, or otherwise construe any term ofthe present application, unless without such incorporation by reference,no ordinary meaning would have been ascertainable by a person ofordinary skill in the art. Such person of ordinary skill in the art neednot have been in any way limited by any embodiments provided in thereference.

Any incorporation by reference does not, in and of itself, imply anyendorsement of, ratification of, or acquiescence in any statements,opinions, arguments or characterizations contained in any incorporatedpatent, patent application or other document, unless explicitlyspecified otherwise in this patent application.

X. Prosecution History

In interpreting the present application (which includes the claims), oneof ordinary skill in the art shall refer to the prosecution history ofthe present application, but not to the prosecution history of any otherpatent or patent application, regardless of whether there are otherpatent applications that are considered related to the presentapplication, and regardless of whether there are other patentapplications that share a claim of priority with the presentapplication.

XI. Some Wager Examples

Some embodiments may include wagering based on one or more events. Suchevents may include, for example, sporting events, random events,political events, historical events, live events, outcomes of games,scores of games, outcomes of an event within a game, player performance,future events, and/or any desired event. Some embodiments may enableusers to bet on the outcome of a game, e.g., which team will win, and/orby how much.

Some gaming operators (e.g., sports books) may try to determine accurateprobabilities for event outcomes (e.g., win, loss, point spread) so thatthey can offer odds to potential bettors who may bet on the outcomesoccurring. Such probabilities may be determined prior to the start ofthe game based on information existing prior to the game, such ashistorical data related to each team, player, and coaching staff,ratings and opinions of professionals such as sportswriters and othercoaches, and other public and proprietary information related to thegame. For instance, some gaming operators use complicated proprietarycomputer algorithms to determine odds based on pre-existing statisticalinformation and other information.

Odds for a particular event may be offered by a gaming operated. Forexample, a +110/−110 price for a spread of +3.5 in a Bears vs Packersgame may be offered. Gaming operators may offer a single spread for sucha game, and bettors that place wagers with the gaming operator mayaccept the offered spread at the time of the wagers being placed. Theodds may change during a betting period as bettors wager on one side oranother of an outcome (e.g., if many people wager that team A will winand few people wager that team B will win, the odds may become lessfavorable for a wager that team A will win). A spread may change duringa betting period as bettors wager on one side or another of an outcome.Other information may, such as injuries, outcomes of other games, and soon may affect odds and/or spreads.

Odds may be referred to, herein and/or elsewhere, as a gaming operator's“price” to bettors for wagering on a specific outcome (wherein higherodds translate to a lower price for the bettor). This should not beconfused with a commission, which may include a fee charged to a bettorfor placing a wager. When there is a plurality of gaming operatorsoffering odds on a particular outcome to a plurality of bettors, thegaming operators may compete with one another to offer a competitiveprice that will attract bettors who seek the highest payout for theirbetting dollar. Thus, gaming operators may determine odds based in parton the odds offered by competing gaming operators. Betting behavior canalso affect odds. For instance, a high demand for bets that the ChicagoCubs will win their next game against the Phillies may drive up theeffective price for that bet. Accordingly, as in other competitivemarketplaces, odds determinations often reflect a “market price” foreach game outcome, as gaming operators may adjust their odds based onthe market. The effective market price can change over time as thebetting market changes and new relevant information is disclosed, suchas an injury of a key Cubs pitcher a day before the game. Amountswagered by losers on one side of the bet can be used to fund the payoutto winners on the other side of the bet. In large betting markets wherethere are many bettors on each side of a bet, gaming operators mayadjust their odds in an effort to balance the potential payouts oneither side of the bet. Such adjustment of odds may occur throughout abetting period for an event. Adjustment of other wager characteristics(e.g., a spread) may occur as an alternative, and/or addition.

Some gaming operators may allow users to bet on performance parameterswithin a game, such as whether a particular player will strike out in aparticular at-bat in a baseball game. Based on the speed of suchwagering options resolving and/or an amount of interest in such wageringoptions, gaming operator may attempt to offer odds without the benefitof a competitive betting market based on the operator's best assessmentof the probabilities of the various outcomes. Some examples of such“mini game” wagers are described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/497,669 to Amaitis, entitled “Computer graphics processing anddisplay of selectable items” and filed on Jul. 4, 2009, which is herebyincorporated herein by reference.

It should be recognized that various embodiments may include any type ofwager, such as, for example, in-game wagers on sports or other events,wagers on outcomes of games or other events, and so on. It should berecognized that various embodiments may include any systems and/ormethods for determining initial and/or future odds for any wager. Someembodiments may include an exchanged based system, a consensus oddssystem that may use other sports books to determine odds, a wager lineset by a sports book algorithm and/or employee, and so on. It should berecognized that various embodiments may include any system and/or methodfor placing and/or managing wagers, such as, for example, a centralizedcomputer system, a distributed computer system, one or more servers, oneor more client computers, an in person system, a ticket system, a mobilesystem, a touch pad, a mobile phone, and so on. Some examples of wagertypes, systems and methods for determining odds, and systems and methodsfor placing and managing wagers are described in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 12/258,297 to Storm and entitled Wager Market Creation andManagement and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/687,980 toAmaitis, entitled “Electrical computers and digital processing systemsinvolving interprogram or interprocess communication regarding amusementdevices and games” filed Jan. 15, 2010, which are both herebyincorporated herein by reference.

Some embodiments may include wagers on one or more competitions. Someexample competitions on which a wager may be placed at a sports book mayinclude auto racing, baseball, basketball, boxing, football, golf,hockey, and horse racing. Each competition type may have a different setof odds and/or other characteristics associated therewith. Some examplesare given below. These examples are non-limiting examples only. Theseexamples may not include commissions that may also be charged in someembodiments.

In auto racing, for example, some number of individual drivers and/or afield (e.g., other) option may be available for wagering. Eachindividual driver and/or the field may be associated with some odds foreach type of bet. For example, Jeff Gordon may be listed at 4-1, JeffBurton at 15-1, Casey Atwood at 100-1, etc. If a bettor bets $10 onBurton 15-1 and Burton goes on to win the race, the bettor may win $150plus his or her $10 back, for a total payoff of $160. Matchup wagers maybe available in which two or more drivers are paired against each otherin a head-to-head wager. Odds for such a wager may also be provided. Forexample, a matchup may pit Dale Jarrett (-145) against Bobby Labonte(+125). If a bettor bets $145 on the favored Jarrett, the payoff may be$100 plus his or her $145 back, for a total of $245. If a bettor bets$100 on the underdog Labonte, the payoff may be $125 plus his or her$100 back, for a total of $225. Various other wagers may also beavailable such as, for example, an over/under on a number of cautions ina race, a car manufacturer that will win the race, in-game wagers, andso on.

In baseball, for example, options may be available for team matchupswith odds associated with each team of each matchup. If a team on whicha wager is placed wins a matchup, the payout to the winner may varyaccording to the odds. In some embodiments, baseball odds may include amoney line.

In a money line, odds may be based on some dollar value (e.g., $1). In amoney line, a “minus” preceding a number may indicate the team is afavorite. A “plus” preceding a number may indicate the team is anunderdog. For example, if the Braves' odds are −120, this may mean thata $12 bet would win $10, for a return of $22. As another example, if theDodgers' odds are +110, this may mean that a $10 bet would win $11, fora return of $21. Various types of money lines exist, such as dime linesand 20-cent lines and may be used in various embodiments. Someembodiments may include various other wagers, such as, for example, anover under on a total runs scored, a run line, a parlay in which abettor may select multiple teams to win, in-game wagers, and so on.

Money lines may change as wagering proceeds at some gaming operators. Insome embodiments, an odds determined by the money line at the time of awager may be the odds used to payout a wager at the end of a wager. Insome embodiments, the money line at the end of a wagering period may beused to determine the odds of wager even if the money line was differentwhen the wager was placed.

In basketball, for example, options similar to baseball options may beavailable. In some embodiments, a point spread may be used so that a beton a team to win may win if the team wins by the point spread. In someembodiments, the odds may be the same for some wagers, but the pointspread may be changed. For example, a point spread may increase as morebettors wager on a team to win, similar to a change in the oddsdiscussed above with respect to baseball. Various other wagers may beincluded in some embodiments, such as parlays, over under on pointtotals, in game wagers, and so on.

In boxing, money line options similar to a baseball wagering options maybe available. In hockey and football, for example, wagering optionssimilar to basketball options may be available.

In golf, for example, options similar to auto racing may be available.For example, some number of individual golfers and a field may beavailable. Each option may be associated with an odds for each type ofbet (e.g., to win a tournament). For example, Tiger Woods may be listedat 2-1, Tom Lehman at 25-1, Bob May at 100-1, etc. If a bettor bets $10on Lehman at 25-1 and Lehman goes on to win the tournament, the bettormay win $250 plus his or her $10 back, for a total payoff of $260. Someoptions may include matchup propositions between two or more golfers. Insome embodiments, one golfer may be matched against two or more golfersin such a proposition. Various other wagers may be included in someembodiments, such as over under on the winning score, over under on thelowest round by any golfer, over under on a finishing position of agolfer, in-game wagers, and so on.

In horse racing, for example, a wide variety of options may beavailable. For example, a win, place, show, across the board, exacta,quinella, trifecta, superfecta, daily double, pick six, and so onwagering options may be available as well as any in-game wagers. Eachwager option may be associated with a money line such as those describedabove or other type of odds system.

As discussed above, some embodiments may include various events and/orpropositions that may be wagered upon, such as outcomes of an election,winnings of an award, and so on. Some embodiments may include wagers onan outcome of a season of a game, a season of a television show (e.g.,Survivor), and so on. Some embodiments may include wagers on othercasino games (e.g., craps, blackjack, slots, poker). Such bets mayinclude bets on individual games, bets on other people, bets onstatistics of the games, bets on tournaments of such games, and so on.It should be recognized that the examples of various wager types andodds types are given as non-limiting examples only and that variousembodiments may include any desired wager types and/or odds types. Someexamples of wagers and/or devices that may be used to place wagers aredescribed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/759,757 to Lutnick,entitled “Game of chance systems and methods” filed Apr. 14, 2010, whichis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

XII. Some Example Embodiments

Some embodiments may include offering wagering opportunities to bettors.In some embodiments, a wagering opportunity may include a time limitedwindow through which wager requests may be submitted for wagers having aparticular set of characteristics. Such wagering opportunities mayinclude an ability to submit a wager request for a wager on one team oranother team winning a game with a particular spread and/or particularodds. Such an opportunity may be offered by a gaming operator (which mayalso be referred to as a “house” herein and/or elsewhere) for an amountof time determined before the offering of the opportunity from astarting time with the particular spread and particular odds throughoutthe amount of time. In some embodiments, the gaming operator maydetermine which wager requests to accept when and/or after the amount oftime has passed. Such determination may be based on a risk associatedwith such acceptance.

In some embodiments, the gaming operator may determine which wagerssubmitted during the amount of time for a team to win the game to acceptbased, at least in part, on wager requests submitted during the amountof time for an opposing team to win the game and/or an amount of riskassociated accepting each such wager request. In some embodiments, thegaming operator may determine which wager requests on the opposing teamto accept based, at least in part, on wager requests submitted for theteam and/or an amount of risk associated with accepting each such wagerrequest. Some embodiments may include determining wager requests toaccept based on an amount of risk taken on by a gaming operator fromprior accepted wager requests (e.g., through a sports book and/orthrough prior offered wagering opportunities).

In some embodiments, wager requests that are determined to be accepted,in whole and/or in part, may be accepted and/or formed into bindingwagers. In some embodiments, wager requests that are determined not tobe accepted may be rejected, in whole and/or in part. Various suchopportunities may be provided with desired odds, desired spreads,desired amounts of times, desired starting times, and so on for a singlegame, a variety of games, and/or a variety of wagering options.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example method that may be performed in someembodiments. Such a method may be performed by one or more computingdevices (e.g., servers operated by a gaming operator) in any combinationas desired. Such a method may include offering, for a limited amount oftime, a wagering opportunity defined by particular odds for each of atleast two outcomes of an event that remain constant during the amount oftime (e.g., 101). Such a method may include receiving a plurality ofrespective first wager requests for a first outcome of the at least twooutcomes during the amount of time (e.g., 103). Such a method mayinclude receiving a plurality of respective second wager requests for asecond outcome of the at least two outcomes during the amount of time,in which wagers related to the first outcome offset a risk associatedwith wagers related to the second outcome (e.g., 105). Such a method mayinclude determining a respective first portion of a first wager requestand a respective second portion of a second wager request to acceptbased on a cumulative risk of accepting both the first portion and thesecond portion (e.g., 107). It should be recognized that such a methodis given as an example only and that other embodiments may includesimilar, different, no, more, fewer, alternative, differently ordered,and so on methods and/or actions.

XIII. Offering a Wagering Opportunity

As previously mentioned, some embodiments may include offering awagering opportunity to one or more bettors. FIG. 1 element 101 shows anexample action of offering a wagering opportunity that may be performedin some embodiments. A wagering opportunity may be defined by one ormore characteristics and/or be offered according to any desired actions.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example method that may be performed in someembodiments to offer a wagering opportunity. Such a method may beperformed by one or more computing devices (e.g., servers operated by agaming operator) in any combination as desired. Some embodiments mayinclude determining an upcoming event that has at least two possibleoutcomes (e.g., 201). Some embodiments may include determining a demandfor a wagering opportunity associated with the event (e.g., 203). Someembodiments may include determining that a wagering opportunity shouldbe offered (e.g., 205). Some embodiments may include determining oddsfor each of the at least two outcomes for the wagering opportunity(e.g., 207). Some embodiments may include determining a spread and/orother characteristics for the wagering opportunity (e.g., 209). Someembodiments may include determining a time for an offering of thewagering opportunity (e.g., 211). Some embodiments may includedetermining an amount of time for the offering of the wageringopportunity (e.g., 213). Some embodiments may include transmittinginformation about the wagering opportunity (e.g., 215). It should berecognized that such a method is given as an example only and that otherembodiments may include similar, different, no, more, fewer,alternative, differently ordered, and so on methods and/or actions.

Some embodiments may include determining one or more characteristics fora wagering opportunity. Such characteristics may include, for example,one or more events for a wagering opportunity (e.g., 205), one or moreoutcomes of an event for a wagering opportunity, a start time for anoffering of a wagering opportunity (e.g., 211), an amount of time for anoffering of a wagering opportunity (e.g., 213), an end time for anoffering of a wagering opportunity, a price and/or odds for a wageringopportunity (e.g., 207), a spread for a wagering opportunity (e.g.,209), and/or any other characteristics that may define a wageringopportunity.

In some embodiments, determining one or more events for a wageringopportunity may include choosing an event on which to offer a wager.Such a determination may be based on a demand for such a wageringopportunity as indicated at 205, based on a time of the event, and/orbased on any other element, characteristic of an event, and so on. Someembodiments may include determining one or more possible events on whichto base a wagering opportunity (e.g., 201). Such possible events mayinclude, for example, all televised sports games, all major leaguesports games, all playoff games, and so on. Such a determination mayinclude receiving a feed from a provider of gaming information. Someembodiments may include determining a demand for a wagering opportunityfor the one or more possible events (e.g., 203). Such a determinationmay include determining a number of people that may be located in anarea associated with wagering on the event, determining a prior interestin such wagering opportunities, determining a number of requests forsuch opportunities, and so on.

A determination of which wagering opportunity to offer may be made basedon a perceived interest of bettors for wagers related to such anopportunity (e.g., based on received indication(s), timing of a gameand/or related game, other wagers received, and so on). In someembodiments, if a customer asks for a wagering opportunity to be offeredfor a game, in response to receiving such a request, a gaming operatormay provide such an opportunity. In some embodiments, in response todetermining that a first game involving a team from a first state isoccurring at a first time, a wagering opportunity for a second gameinvolving a different team from the first state that occurs at a latertime may be offered. In some embodiments, in response to determiningthat a wagers (e.g., a threshold number, a threshold dollar amount, anincrease in wagers, etc.) related to a first game have been placed(e.g., at a traditional sports book, at a nearby sports book, etc.), awagering opportunity for the game may be offered.

In some embodiments, a wagering opportunity may be offered for allevents of a certain type (e.g., all major league baseball games, allplayoff games, and so on). Any method of determining a wageringopportunity to be offered may be used and/or any event may have awagering opportunity offered. For example, some embodiments may includedetermining that a wagering opportunity for an upcoming football,baseball, golf, and/or other game may be offered.

In some embodiments, determining one or more outcomes of an event for awagering opportunity may include determining possible winners and losersfor an event. For example, one outcome of a game may include Bearswinning a football game between the Bears and the Packers. Anotheroutcome of that game may include Packers winning the football game. Insome embodiments, these two outcomes may be determined for the game.Various other outcomes may be determined as desired, such as pointtotals, in game events, player matchups, and so on. Some furthernon-limiting examples of such outcomes are discussed elsewhere herein.In some embodiments, an outcome may include Bears winning with a spread,and/or Bears winning without a spread.

In some embodiments, determining a start time may include determining atime at which an opportunity for making wager requests may be offered(e.g., 211). A start time may include a time at which requests forwagers having determined characteristics (e.g., a spread and/or price)may be accepted by a gaming operator. In some embodiments, determining atime may include determining more than one time. In some embodiments, atime may be determined in response to a request for the wageringopportunity. For example, a request may identify the time, and/or arequest may identify that the opportunity is presently desired. A timemay be determined in response to a proximity to an event occurring. Atime may be determined in response to another game occurring, otherwagers being placed, and so on as desired. Wager requests for wagershaving such characteristics received before the start time may beignored and/or otherwise not entertained (in some embodiments unlessanother wagering opportunity with same or similar characteristics may beoffered when that request is received).

In some embodiments, determining an amount of time and/or an end timefor an offering of a wagering opportunity may include determining whento stop accepting requests for wagers having determined characteristics(e.g., 213). Wager request for wagers having such characteristicsreceived after that amount of time has passed from the start time and/orafter the end time may be ignored and/or otherwise not entertained (insome embodiments unless another wagering opportunity with same orsimilar characteristics may be offered when that request is received).An end time and/or amount of time may be determined to correspond to atime that an event (e.g., a game) starts, a time when a bar closes, atime when another event ends, a time when an outcome may be determined,a standard time and/or amount of time (e.g., one hour, hourly, fifteenminutes, midnight, etc.), and so on. In some embodiments, an amount oftime and/or an end time may be based on a proximity to an occurrence ofan event. For example, a shorter amount of time may be determined whenan event begins soon than when an event begins in a longer amount oftime. Some embodiments may include determining an amount of time basedon how much time remains before an event begins.

In some embodiments, determining a price and/or odds may includedetermining odds that may apply to request to enter into wagers for theoutcomes of the event in connection with the wagering opportunity (e.g.,207). Various non-limiting examples of odds and/or prices and/ordetermining odds and/or prices are given herein. For example, odds for awager may be determined in response to a request to offer a wageringopportunity with a particular odds, based on determined probabilities ofone or more outcomes occurring, based on leftover demand from one ormore prior wagering opportunities for one outcome occurring, based on anamount of risk for one or more of the outcomes occurring that a gamingoperator is exposed to, based on a consensus of odds from one or moresports books for a same event and/or spread and/or a different eventand/or spread, based on a conversion of odds for a differ spread to adetermined spread, randomly, and/or in any manner desired.

In some embodiments, determining a spread for a wagering opportunity mayinclude determining a point difference between a favored and an underdog(e.g., 209). In some embodiments, a wager for a favored to win a gamemay be a losing wager if the favored wins but does not win by more thanand/or equal to the point difference. Such a spread may include a wholenumber and/or a fractional number. Various non-limiting examples ofspreads and/or determining spreads are given herein. For example,spreads may be determined in response to a request to offer a wageringopportunity with a particular spread, based on other offered wageringopportunities (e.g., to offer a variety, to maintain a spread), based onwagering opportunities offered by other venues (e.g., to offer a sameand/or different spread), based on leftover demand from one or moreprior wagering opportunities for one outcome occurring, based on anamount of risk for one or more of the outcomes occurring that a gamingoperator is exposed to, based on a consensus of spread from one or moresports books for a same event and/or a different event, based on aconversion of a spread at one odds to a spread at a different odds,based on a spread providing an odds that may be similar to a requestedodds, randomly, and/or in any manner desired.

Some embodiment may include determining operational, maintenance, and/orregulatory characteristics for a wagering opportunity, such as a uniqueidentifier, a place for storing information about wagers and/or wagerrequest, rules for wagers and/or wager requests, and so on.

It should be recognized that various examples of determiningcharacteristics for a wagering opportunity are given as non-limitingexamples only. Some embodiments may include no such determining,determining fewer, more, different, and so on characteristics. Forexample, in some embodiments there may be no spread determined, odds maybe even, only a single event may be used, and so on as desired.Characteristics may include backs, lays, ties, money line, with aspread, without a spread, even odds, fixed odds, over/under, pointtotal, and/or any desired wager desired.

Some embodiments may include transmitting an indication of a wageringopportunity (e.g., 215). Such a wagering opportunity may include awagering opportunity for which characteristics have been determined.Such a transmission may include transmitting from a computing deviceoperated by and/or on behalf of a gaming operator to one or moremonitors, mobile devices, kiosks, tickers, computers, mobile phones, andso on. In some embodiments, such a transmission may include transmittinginformation such as indication of some or all of the characteristicssuch as by an electronic message. Such a transmission may occur before awagering opportunity being offered (e.g., to identify that a wageringopportunity may be offered at some time in the future), after a wageringopportunity has been offered (e.g., to show a history of opportunities),during an offering of a wagering opportunities (e.g., to facilitatewagering related to the opportunity), as an offering of a wageringopportunity, and so on.

In some embodiments, one or more indications of upcoming, current,and/or prior wagering opportunities may be presented to a bettor throughone or more interfaces. FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate some example interfacesfor presenting information regarding wagering opportunities.

In some embodiments, information about an offered wagering opportunitymay be presented to a bettor though one or more interfaces. FIGS. 4 and5 illustrate some example interfaces for presenting informationregarding wagering opportunities. For example, element 501 illustratesan example market line wager that is part of a currently offeredwagering opportunity. Such information may be presented between a starttime of an offering of the wagering opportunity and an end time of anoffering of the wagering opportunity. Such information may include anydesired information that may allow a bettor to identify the wageringopportunity (e.g., one or more of a determined characteristics, etc.).In some embodiments, a bettor may use such an interface to submit awager request for the wagering opportunity.

In some embodiments, presenting information regarding one or morewagering opportunities may include presenting a countdown related to thewagering opportunity. Such a countdown may include an indication of anamount of time until the wagering opportunity may be offered, an amountof time remaining for an offering of a wagering opportunity, an amountof time until an event related to a wagering opportunity begins, and/orany other information.

In some embodiments, offering a wagering opportunity may includeaccepting wager requests, and/or otherwise facilitating the acceptanceand/or making of wager requests related to a wagering opportunity duringa period in which a wagering opportunity is offered. For example, such aperiod may include a time between a start time of a wagering opportunityand an end time of a wagering opportunity. Offering a wageringopportunity and/or accepting a wager request may include enabling abutton and/or menu system to allow a bettor to enter information throughan interface requesting a wager, receiving indications of such requests,maintaining information about such requests for use in determining whichrequests to accept, and so on as desired.

Any number of wagering opportunities may be offered at any given time.For example, multiple wagering opportunities for the same event may beoffered simultaneously (e.g., with same and/or different spreads, odds,and/or other characteristics). Wagering opportunities may be offeredperiodically, daily, hourly, during a game, before a game,consecutively, with different characteristics, with different lengths,with decreasing lengths as an event becomes nearer, according to bettordemand, according to bettor presence, based on a time of an eventoccurrence, and/or in any desired manner. In some embodiments, wageringopportunities for a particular event may be offered more frequently asan event time becomes nearer.

In some embodiments characteristics of a wagering opportunity may bemaintained during an offering of the wagering opportunity. For example,odds, and/or spreads may be the same for wager requests received for aparticular wagering opportunity during an offering of the wageringopportunity.

XIV. Wager Requests

Some embodiments may include receiving one or more respective wagerrequests associated with one or more respective wagering opportunities.Elements 103 and 105 of FIG. 1 illustrate receiving wager requests. Insome embodiments, a wager request may be understood as an offer to enterinto an identified wager between a gaming operator (e.g., a sports bookand/or house offering the opportunity) and a party submitting the wagerrequest (e.g., a bettor).

FIG. 3 illustrates an example method that may be performed to submit awager request. Such a method may be performed by a bettor, for example,to submit a wager request to a gaming operator. A gaming operator mayperform an enabling and/or facilitating method (e.g., allowing login,presenting interfaces, offering wagering opportunities, receiving wagerrequests, receiving confirmations, and so on). Such a method may includea bettor logging into a wagering account (e.g., 301). Such a method mayinclude a bettor selecting a sport and/or other event through aninterface (e.g., 303). Such a method may include a bettor selecting awagering opportunity related to the sport and/or event (e.g., 305). Sucha method may include a bettor submitting wager request informationrelated to the wagering opportunity during an offering of the wageringopportunity (e.g., 307). Such a method may include a bettor confirmingthe wager request through an interface (e.g., 309). In some embodiments,such actions performed by a bettor (e.g., in connection with a gamingoperator) may result in a wager request being made with the gamingoperator from the bettor. It should be recognized that such a method isgiven as an example only and that other embodiments may include similar,different, no, more, fewer, alternative, differently ordered, and so onmethods and/or actions.

Some embodiments may include a bettor signing into a wagering systemand/or account (e.g., 301). Such signing may include verifying anidentity with a username and/or password. Such signing in may includestarting an application on a mobile device associated with the account.

Some embodiments may include providing a wagering interface to a bettorthrough which the bettor may select one or more event types and/orevents. FIG. 4 illustrates an example interface. For example, a user mayselect control 401 to choose to view wagering opportunities related to aVikings vs Saints game.

In some embodiments, in response to such a selection, a user may beprovided with an indication of wagering events related to such aselection. FIG. 5 illustrates an example interface displaying wageringopportunities related to one or more selected events. For example, theexample interface shows an example of a presented list of wageringopportunities related to two selected games (e.g., Saints vs Cardinalsand Patriots vs Raiders).

In some embodiments, a bettor may select an offered wagering opportunitywith which to interact (e.g., 305). Such a selection may be made throughan interface of a device such as one illustrated in FIG. 5 . Such aselection may include selection of an outcome on which to wager and/or aselection of the event at large. In some embodiments such an interfacemay allow selection of currently offered wagering opportunities tosubmit wager request for such opportunities. In some embodiments, suchan interface may prevent selection of not-currently offered wageringopportunities (e.g., prior and/or future opportunities). In someembodiments, such an interface may allow selection of future wageringopportunities so that a bettor may queue a wager request. Such a queuedwager request may be submitted when the wagering opportunity is offeredin the future, may be transmitted earlier and queued on a server side,and so on.

In some embodiments, in response to a selection of a wageringopportunity, an interface through which a bettor may submit informationdefining a wager request may be presented. FIG. 6 illustrates such anexample interface. Such an interface may be related to a particularoutcome and/or an event at large and allow the selection of an outcome.Through such an interface, a bettor may submit information defining thewager request (e.g., 307). For example, the bettor may choose a wageringopportunity for which the request may be submitted, may establish anamount of money associated with the request, may operate one or morecontrols to initiate a request, and so on. In some embodiments, arequest may be transmitted from a computing device operated by a bettorto a computing device associated with an offered wagering opportunity inresponse to a bettor entering one or more inputs.

In some embodiments, a wager request may be received from a bettor. Insome embodiments, such wager requests may be received from bettorsand/or devices operated by bettors through one or more communicationnetworks. Such bettors may enter information about such request throughone or more interfaces, devices, kiosks, and/or other desired mannersand/or apparatus. In response to such information being entered and/orone or more controls being actuated, a request may be transmittedthrough one or more communication networks such as the Internet, acellular telephone network, a Wi-Fi network, and so on to one or morecomputing devices, services, gaming operators, and/or desired entity.

In some embodiments, a person at a wagering venue such as an employee ata sports book “window” may be given information such as a wagering slipor oral communication with information about a wager request, by abettor. Submitting such information to such a person may be consideredsubmission of a wager request in some embodiments. Such person may entersuch information into a computer system that may be associated with oneor more acts of accepting and/or processing such wager requests.

In some embodiments, a wager request may be considered made wheninformation about the request is received, sent, processed, confirmed,and so on. It should be recognized that any manner of making a requestmay be used in various embodiments whether through networks and/ordevice, in person, and/or using other methods and/or apparatus.

Some embodiments may include confirming a wager request with a better.Such confirmation may be required before a wager request may be made insome embodiments. FIG. 7 shows an example interface that may be used toconfirm a wager request. A bettor may use such an interface and/or anyother interface and/or method to confirm a wager request (e.g., 309). Insome embodiments, in response to a wager request being confirmed, awager request may be made. In some embodiments, in response to a wagerrequest being confirmed, a confirmation may be presented to the bettor.FIG. 8 illustrates an example of such a confirmation.

In some embodiments, a wager request may include an indication that abettor desires to enter into a wager associated with an offered wageringopportunity. The indication may include an identifier that may be usedto determine an event, a game, a wagering opportunity, and so on which abettor desires to place a wager. The indication may include an amount ofmoney that a bettor desires to wager. The indication may includeinformation identifying a bettor, a bettor's account, a device used by abettor to place a wager, and/or any information that may be used todetermine an originator of a wager request. The indication may includeany number of characteristics that may define a desired wager and/orfrom which a desired wager may be determined.

A wager request may include an indication of an associated wageringopportunity. For example, in some embodiments a numerical indicator,such as an ID code, may identify a wagering opportunity. In suchembodiments, a wagering ID may be assigned to each wagering opportunityand transmitted to a bettor (e.g., through an interface, network, and/orother device). Such a device may be used to transmit a wager request andmay include the received wagering ID in an electronic message thatidentifies the request. Such an ID may be used by a computing devicethat receives the request to determine which wagering opportunity therequest is associated with (e.g., if there are multiple opportunitiesbeing offered). A request may include an electronic message that haswithin it such an ID.

In some embodiments, characteristics of a wagering opportunity may beused to identify the wagering opportunity for which a request is made(e.g., an odds, a spread, a start time, an end time, an event, anoutcome, and so on). In some embodiment, any desired information may beincluded in a request for a wager that may be used to determine whichwagering opportunity to associate with the wager request.

In some embodiments a single wagering opportunity may be offered at atime, through a particular device, at a particular venue, and/or in anyother manner such that a receipt of a wager request at a particular timemay be associated with a single wagering opportunity based on a time ofreceipt, a location of receipt, a location of origin, a time oftransmission, and so on. In some embodiments, all such requests may beinterpreted to be for a single opportunity associated with a device,location, and/or time. In some embodiments no such ID may be used when asingle wagering opportunity is offered at a time because a wageringopportunity may be derived based on a time a wagering request is made.

In some embodiments, one or more wager requests may be received forwagers on one or more respective outcomes of one or more respectiveevents. For example, in some embodiments, a wagering opportunity may beassociated with wagers that the Bears will win an upcoming game againstthe Packers by 3.5 or more points for a price of +105 and that thePackers will win the same game or lose the game by 3.5 or fewer pointsat a price of −105. Respective wager requests for both of the possibleoutcomes at the associated prices may be received during a time periodthat the wagering opportunity is offered. In some embodiments, inresponse to a making of a wager request during an offering, such a wagerrequest may be further processed as desired and/or described elsewhereherein.

In some embodiments, wager requests may be restricted from being madebefore and/or after an offering of a wagering opportunity. For example,processing, transmission and/or receipt may be allowed only during anoffering of a wagering opportunity. For example, before and/or after anoffering, a control (e.g., a button) that may be associated withsubmission of a wager request may be grayed out or otherwise disabled ina device and/or interface that a bettor may use to submit wagerrequests. In some embodiments, wager requests received before and/orafter a wagering opportunity may be ignored.

In some embodiments, a wager request may be made before and/or after anoffering of wagering opportunity associated with the request. Forexample, in some embodiments, a request received before and/or after anoffering may be queued (e.g., if a request is received for a futureopportunity, it may be queued until that opportunity is offered, if itis received for a past opportunity, it may be queued until a same orsimilar opportunity is offered in the future). In some embodiments, arelevant time may be not when a request is received, but rather a timewhen a bet is transmitted, and/or some other time that may be relativeto one or more of a receipt time and/or transmission time, and/or othertime (e.g., time when a user presses a control). For example, in someembodiments, wager requests that were transmitted before an end of anoffering but received after an end of an offering may be considered madeduring an offering, in some embodiments, but not in other embodiments.

In some embodiments, before a wager request may be made, a user may berequired to sign up for a service, open an account, obtain anapplication to run on a computing device, register with a gamingoperator, provide a proof of age, place an amount of money at least aslarge as a wager on deposit, and so on. Signing up for such a servicemay include opening an account that money for wagers may be taken out ofand/or deposited into, make any desired identification (e.g., age, name,Social Security number, location, mobile phone number, Mac address ofcomputer, and so on).

In some embodiments, any desired device may be used to place wagerrequests and/or obtain information about wagering opportunities. Forexample, mobile devices, stationary devices, kiosks, interfaces,computing devices, touch pads, motion detecting devices, and so on maybe used. Various restrictions may be placed on such device, such aslocation restrictions, use restrictions, software restrictions, and soon. Users may be required to sign into an account using a passwordand/or may be occasionally required to verify their identity in order tomake wager requests.

In some embodiments, a bettor may be required to have an amount of moneyat least as great as the amount wagered in an account in order to make awager request, actuate a submission control, and so on. In someembodiments such amount may be withdrawn from an account in response toa request being made. In some embodiments, if a wager request isrejected as described elsewhere herein, such an amount may be returned.In some embodiments such an amount may be removed from an account and/orrequired to be deposited in an account in response to a wager beingaccepted by a gaming operator to form a wager rather than in response toa wager request being submitted. In some embodiments, such an amount ofmoney may be removed from an account and/or required to be depositedinto an account in response to a wager formed between a bettor and agaming operator being lost.

In some embodiments, a wager request may include a binding request uponthe bettor submitting the request (i.e., if the gaming operator acceptsthe request, a binding wager may be formed between the gaming operatorand the bettor). In some embodiments, such a request may be cancelled(e.g., before an end of an offering, before such a request is acceptedby a gaming operator to form a wager, in accordance with desiredrestrictions). In some embodiments such a request may not be cancelledand/or modified by a bettor and/or a gaming operator. In someembodiments such a request may be modified (e.g., before an end of awagering offering, before such a request is accepted by a gamingoperator to form a wager, in accordance with desired restrictions) by abettor and/or gaming operator. Modification and/or cancellation of sucha wager request may be performed, for example, by a bettor through acomputing device, interface, gaming operator employee, and so on, suchas by submitting information requesting a modification. Modificationand/or cancellation of such a wager may be performed by a gamingoperator such as by a computer system modifying and/or cancelling awager request that has been received, requesting that a bettor acceptsuch a modification and/or cancellation, a gaming operator employeemaking a modification and/or cancellation, in response to a request forsuch a modification and/or cancellation (e.g., from a bettor), and soon.

XV. Determining Wager Requests for Acceptance

Some embodiments may include accepting one or more wager requests and/ordetermining one or more portions of one or more wager requests toaccept. Element 107 of FIG. 1 illustrates an example of suchdetermining. Acceptance of a wager request may include forming a wagerbased on the wager request between a gaming operator and a bettorassociated with the wager request. Determining one or more portions ofone or more wager requests to accept may include determining accordingto a business rule, determining according to a risk tolerance,determining in order to balance a risk, determining based on one or moreother wager requests, other wager requests (e.g., other wager requestfor a same event), determining based on previously wageringopportunities, and so on.

In some embodiments, such accepting and/or determining may be performedby a gaming operator, a computing device, an employee, a server, and soon. Such determining and/or accepting may be performed at any time(e.g., during an offering, after an offering, and so on). In someembodiments, such determining and/or accepting may be performed after anoffering of the wagering opportunity associated with the one or moreportions of one or more wager requests and/or at an end of an offering.

In some embodiments, such acceptance and/or determining may be based ona risk associated with acceptance of one or more wager requests. Agaming operator that may accept a wager request may take on risk byaccepting such a wager request. For example, the gaming operator maytake on a risk that a wager formed by accepting a wager request mayinclude a winning wager by the bettor associated with the wager request.The gaming operator may be required to pay an amount of money to thebettor in such a scenario and may accordingly be at risk for possiblyhaving to pay the bettor that amount of money when such a wager requestis accepted. In some embodiments, a regulatory authority may requiresuch a gaming operator to have an amount of money on reserve based onsuch amount of risk (e.g., an amount equal to an amount at risk, apercentage of such an amount). In some embodiments, a gaming operatormay desire to minimize an amount of risk.

In some embodiments, one wager (e.g., a wager formed by accepting awager request on one side of a wagering opportunity) may offset anamount of risk to another wager (e.g., a wager formed by accepting awager request on another side of a wagering opportunity). Such an offsetmay be based on an amount of risk associated with the other wager, anamount of money wagered in the other wager, a chance of the otherwagering including a winning wager when the wager is also a winningwager, a similarity between the wager and the other wager, and so on.

For example, a first wager that the Bears will win an upcoming gameagainst the Packers by 3.5 or more points that may result in a gamingoperator paying $10,000 to a bettor may have a $10,000 risk associatedtherewith. A second wager that the Packers will win the upcoming gameagainst the Bears or lose the game by less than 3.5 points that mayresult in the gaming operator paying $10,000 to a bettor may have a$10,000 risk associated therewith. In some embodiments, the gamingoperator may take in a deposit of $10,000 for accepting both wagers.Although the first and second wagers may each have a respective $10,000risk for the gaming operator, the combination of the two wagers may havea $0 risk because the game may have two possible outcomes, so the risksfor each outcome may cancel each other.

One further example of such risk offsetting may include another Bears vsPackers game. Such a game may be associated with a −105 wager that theBears will win the game by 3.5 or more points and a +105 wager that thePackers will win the game or the lose the game by less than 3.5 points.In some embodiments, a first bettor may make a $100 dollar first wagerrequest on the Packers side of the wagering opportunity. If the gamingoperator accepts such a first wager request, the gaming operator mayreceive $100 and may be at risk of having to pay the first bettor $105plus the original $100 for a total of $205 dollars of risk. Anoffsetting amount of risk may be associated with a second wager requestfrom a second bettor. Such a second wager may include a $105 wager onthe Bears side of the wagering opportunity. If the gaming operatoraccepts such a second wager request, the gaming operator may receive$105 and may be at risk of having to pay the second bettor $100 plus theoriginal $105 for a total of $205 dollars of risk.

The total amount that the gaming operator may be at risk for in such anexample may be $205 because both outcomes of the wagering opportunitycannot happen. Also, the gaming operator may have taken a total of $205on deposit from the two wagers so that the gaming operator may have atotal of $0 in additional unfunded risk from such example two wagerscombined.

It should be recognized that although examples of risk and offsettingwagers are given in terms of a single team in a single game having apoints spread and a money line wager, that other embodiments may includeeven odds, tournaments, parlays, individual players, no spreads, and/orany desired wager type that may be associated with a risk amount thatmay be offset with any other desired wager of a same and/or differenttype.

In some embodiments two wagers may have offsetting risk even if theoutcomes are not binary outcomes. For example, in some embodiments, apair of wagers may have offsetting risk if it is impossible for bothoutcomes to occur at one time. This may be true even if it is possiblefor neither outcome to occur. For example, a wager that the Bears maywin a game by 3.5 or more points may have a risk that may offset a riskassociated with a wager that the Packers may win the game by 1 or morepoints. Such wagers may have offsetting risk because the two outcomesmay not both occur (i.e., both the Bears and the Packers cannot win thegame) even though it is possible that neither outcome will occur (e.g.,the Bears win by only 1 point). It should be recognized that in someembodiments, one wager's risk may offset another wager's risk if anoutcome of one wager may not occur if the outcome of the other wagerdoes occur.

In some embodiments, one wager's risk may offset another wager's riskeven if both outcomes may occur at the same time (e.g., are mutuallyexclusive). For example, a first wager that the Bears will win a game by3.5 or more points may have an offsetting risk of a second wager thatthe Packers will win the game or lose the game by less than 4.5 points.This may be the case even though both outcomes may occur at the sametime (e.g., the Bears win by 4 points). In some embodiments such anoffsetting risk may not be 100%. For example, an amount of such anoffset may be based on a chance that both events could occur at the sametime (e.g., a chance that the Bears win by points). Such a chance may bedetermined based on an expectation of events occurring such that bothevents occur. For example, in some embodiments, f there is a 10% chanceof the Bears winning by 4 points, a wager on the Bears side may offsetrisk of a wager on a Packers side by 90%.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example method of determining one or more wagerrequests and/or portions of wager requests to accept. Such a method maybe performed by a bettor, for example, to submit a wager request to agaming operator. Some embodiments may include determining a first riskfor a gaming operator based on wagers placed on an event, in which therisk is based on an amount of money that the gaming operator may beobligated to pay if a first outcome of the event occurs (e.g., 901).Some embodiments may include determining a second risk that the gamingoperator may take on by accepting at least a portion of a first wagerrequest, in which the first wager request is associated with a wagerthat the first outcome occurs (e.g., 903). Some embodiments may includedetermining a third risk that the gaming operator may take on byaccepting at least a portion of a second wager request, in which thesecond wager request is associated with a wager that a second outcome ofthe event occurs, in which the third risk offsets at least a part of thefirst and second risks (e.g., 905). Some embodiments may includedetermining the portion of the first wager request and the portion ofthe second wager request to accept to reduce a combined risk of thefirst risk and second risk offset by the third risk (e.g., 907). Someembodiments may include forming a first wager with a first bettor basedon the first portion and a second wager with a second bettor based onthe second portion (e.g., 909). It should be recognized that such amethod is given as an example only and that other embodiments mayinclude similar, different, no, more, fewer, alternative, differentlyordered, and so on methods and/or actions.

Some embodiments may include determining an amount of risk that may addto a risk of a gaming operator by accepting a first wager request (e.g.,903). Various examples of determinations of an amount of risk associatedwith accepting a wager request are described elsewhere herein.

Some embodiments may include determining a second amount of risk thatmay offset the first amount of risk by accepting a second wager request(e.g., 905). Various examples of determinations of an amount of anoffset of risk between two wagers are described elsewhere herein. Insome embodiments, an offered wagering opportunity may include wagersthat offset each other's risks.

Some embodiments may determine the wager requests to accept such thatthe total amount of risk for accepting a group of wager requests isminimized, is less than a threshold amount, is offset by at least apercentage, is reduced, and so on (e.g., 907). Such determination mayoccur during an offering of a wagering opportunity such as when wagerrequests that offset each other's risk are received, at the end of anoffering and/or after an offering such as when all wager request for anopportunity have been made. In some embodiments, such a determinationmay be made in a neutral and/or non-discriminatory manner (e.g., FIFO,LIFO, pro-rata, all, none, and so on). In a FIFO embodiment, wagerrequests may be accepted based on a first in first out method such thatwager requests that are made on a particular side of a wageringopportunity are accepted before other wager requests on that side of thewagering opportunity. Such a determination may be made such that a riskof one wager is at least in part offset by the risk of one or more otherwagers that may be associated with a same and/or similar wageringopportunity. Such a determination may be made such that a combined riskis minimized, such that a combined risk is reduced compared to anindividual risk, such that a combined risk has a desired characteristic,and so on.

In some embodiments, a gaming operator may operate such that it does nothave a disproportionate interest and/or risk in one team over the otherin a particular game. For example, in an example of a Bears and Packersgame (−105 Bears/+105 Packers), a gaming operator may receive a firstwager request to place a first wager on the Bears side of $5,250. Agaming operator may receive a second wager request to place a secondwager on the Packers side of $4,000, and a third wager request to placea third wager on the Packers side of $3,000. Accordingly, there may be atotal amount of risk on the Bears side of $10,250 (e.g., $5,250 originalplus $5,000 if the Bears win). And a total amount of risk on a Packersside of 14,350 (e.g., $7,000 original plus $7,350 of the Packers win). Ahouse (e.g., a computing device, a gaming operator, an employee) maydetermine that the entire $10,250 of risk for the Bears side should beaccepted and that an offsetting $10,250 of risk for the Packers sideshould be accepted. This may be accomplished, for example, by acceptingthe entire second wager request and a portion of the third wagerrequest. The third wager request may only have a portion acceptedbecause it was received later than the second wager request in a FIFOembodiment. In other embodiments, the entire third wager request may beaccepted and a portion of the second wager request may be accepted,and/or a portion of each of the second and third wager requests may beaccepted.

In some embodiments, a gaming operator may determine that wager requestsshould be accepted such that a risk is not completely offset. Forexample, a business rule may be used to determine such an amount. Asanother example, wager requests should be accepted such that a fullwager request that brings an amount of risk as low as possible should beaccepted (e.g., in embodiments in which wager requests may not bemodified by a gaming operator).

As an example, a gaming operator may determine that a static percentage,a static amount, a varying amount, and so on of “excess” risk on oneside of a wagering opportunity should be accepted. For example, a gamingoperator may choose to accept wager requests on each side to the extentthat its risks are offset to within (i) a fixed percentage such as 10%(e.g., accept $1,000 of additional risk on the Packers side in the aboutexample, (ii) a certain dollar amount (e.g. accept no more than $10,000of “excess” risk), or (iii) some combination of percentage and dollaramount factors. The betting portal may accept different levels of excessrisk and apply different factors in different wagering opportunities. Insome embodiments, one or more rules may be applied and/or modified todetermine which if any wager requests to accept. For example, in someembodiments, an unaccepted amount of wagers may include wagers thatwould be unaccepted based on a strict balancing method of risk, and agaming operator may determine to accept an amount of such unacceptedwagers equal to a greater and/or lesser of an amount of the unacceptedamount that is equal to a percentage(x) of the unaccepted amount, and adollar amount (z). Such a percentage and/or dollar amount may beconfigurable.

Although some examples of determining wager requests to accept and/orrisk offsetting have been described with reference to wager requestsand/or wagers offered in a single wagering opportunity, it should berecognized that risk may affect later and/or earlier wageringopportunities. For example, an excess risk from accepting wager requestsin prior wagering opportunity may be used to determine wager requests toaccept in a later wagering opportunity (e.g., 901). A gaming operatormay attempt to offset the excess risk from the prior wageringopportunity by accepting wagering in the later wagering opportunity. Forexample, if a prior wagering opportunity resulted in an excess risk of$1,000 on a Packers side of a game with a 3.5 point spread for the Bearsand a +105 price, a gaming operator may attempt to offset such risk indetermining a wager requests to accept related to a wagering opportunityon the same Bears and Packers game. Such an opportunity may include asame and/or different odds and/or price. For example, the gamingoperator may determine that an additional $1,000 of risk on the Bearsside should be accepted (e.g., if the Bears side of the lateropportunity offsets the Packers side of the prior opportunity), and/orsome other amount that may be based on how offsetting the twoopportunities may be to one another. In some embodiments, determiningwager request to accept for a wagering opportunity may include balancinga risk amount from prior wagering opportunities and/or wagers along withbalancing risks associated with received wager requests for the wageringopportunity (e.g., 907).

In some embodiments, a gaming operator may require a minimum volume ofmoney to be wagered, a minimum number of wager requests, and/or aminimum number of wager requests per team/outcome for a wageringopportunity in order to accept any of the wager request entered bybettors for a particular wagering opportunity. For example, the gamingoperator may only accept wager requests for a particular wageringopportunity if it can accept at least a portion of at least two wagerson each side of a wagering opportunity (e.g., can accept two wagersbacking the Bears and can accept two wagers backing the Packers). If theminimum requirement(s) cannot be reached, the gaming operator may rejectall wager requests for a particular wagering opportunity.

Some embodiments may accept wager requests and/or portions of wagerrequests in accordance with a determination made to offset risk. Suchacceptance may include forming wagers between the gaming operator andthe bettors associated with the wager requests that are accepted (e.g.,909). Some embodiments may include accepting portions of wager requests.Such accepting of portions may include forming wagers between the gamingoperator and the bettor for less than a full requested wager amount.Some embodiments may include notifying a bettor that a wager requestand/or portion of a wager request has been accepted. Some embodimentsmay allow a bettor to cancel a wager request upon such a notification(e.g. with a time period). Some embodiments may include verificationbefore forming a wager. Some embodiments may automatically form a wagerwithout a bettor input.

In some embodiments, a gaming operator may determine an amount of moneyneeded to meet a reserve requirement based on risk associated withaccepted wager requests. Such an amount of money may include an amountof risk associated with a combined set of wager requests accepted in oneor more wager offerings. Some embodiments may include placing such anamount of money in reserve.

Some embodiments may include determining an outcome of a wager formed byan acceptance of a wager request. Resolving wagers may be performed insome embodiments such as in a manner that may be known in the art. Forexample, such wagers may be resolved in a manner similar to resolvingsports book wagers. For example, in response to determining that theBears win a Bears vs Packers game by 4 points, a wager that the Bearswill win the game by 3.5 or more points may be determined to be awinning wager. A bettor associated with such a winning wager may be paidan amount of money determined by a price of the wager and an amount ofmoney placed on the wager. Such money may be added to a bettors account.

It should be recognized that although various examples are given withrespect to determining a single portion and/or a single wager requestfor acceptance that any number of wager requests and/or portions ofwager requests in any combination may be determined to be accepted asdesired (e.g., based on risk associated with such acceptances).

XV. Other Embodiments

Some embodiments may allow a bettor to view a history of past wageringactivity. Such activity may include wager requests that have been made,wager requests that have been accepted, outcomes of formed wagers,account transactions, account balances, and so on. Such information maybe accessible through a device interface. FIG. 10 illustrates an exampleinterface that may be used to display wagering history.

Some embodiments may accept wager requests from one or more sportsbooks. Such a sports book may act as a bettor as described above. Insome embodiments, sports book betting may include additional, fewer,and/or alternative requirements and/or methods. For example, a sportsbook may not be required to prove age in order to make a wager request,may not be required to open a wagering account, and so on.

a. Commissions

Some embodiments may include charging one or more bettors a commission.For example, some embodiments may include charging all bettors acommission, charging winning bettors a commission, charging losingbettors a commission, and so on. Such a commission may include a flatfee, a percentage fee, and so on. For example, a commission may include2 cents, 2% of a wagered amount, 2% of a won amount, and so on.

In some embodiments, a commission may be different for different sidesof an event (e.g., a different commission may be charged to bettors onthe Bears in a Bears vs Packers game than for bettors on the Packers inthe same game). In some embodiments, a size of a commission may bebased, at least in part on an amount won by the wager and/or an amountwagered. For example, a higher magnitude negative odds (e.g., −200 in amoney line) may have a lower commission than a higher magnitude positiveodds (e.g., +200 in a money line), a lower magnitude negative odds,and/or a lower magnitude positive odds.

Some embodiments may include determining and/or charging a commissionbased on odds of a wager. For example, in some embodiments, if a firstamount that must be wagered for a chance to win a second amount issubstantially larger than the second amount, then a commission may belowered (e.g., a lower dollar amount, a lower percentage). In someembodiments, if a third amount that must be wagered for a change to wina fourth amount is substantially smaller than the fourth amount, then acommission may be raised (e.g., a higher dollar amount, a higherpercentage).

Some embodiments may include determining a size of a commission (e.g., apercentage, an amount and so on) based on a relationship between and/ora value of an amount wagered, an amount that may be won, an amount thatis won, and so on. For example, if an amount that must be wagered to win$100 is above a threshold value (e.g., $200), then a commission may bewaved. In a money line wager, such an example wager may include a wagerhaving odds of −200. For example, if an amount that must be wagered towin $200 is below a threshold value (e.g., $100), then a commission maybe doubled. In a money line wager, such an example wager may include awager having odds of +200.

In some embodiments, percentage of a commission and/or a dollar value ofa commission may include a sliding scale and/or step scale between afull commission, a double commission, a waived commission, and so on(e.g., at −200 no commission may be charge, at −120 a full commissionmay be charged, between −120 and −200 some commission may be chargedbased on the particular odds). As another example, in some embodiments,if a bettor must bet 8 or more dollars for a chance to win 1 dollar, thecommission may be waived. Such a system may charge a greater commissionto players that wager on an underdog and a lower commission to thosethat wager on a favorite. In some embodiments, commission reduced on oneside may be added to another side, but in other embodiments suchaddition may not take place.

It should be recognized that examples of determining commissions and/orcommissions themselves are given as non-limiting only and that anymethod of determining a commission based on odds of a wager may be usedas desired. Such determination may be made, for example, by a computingdevice operated by a gaming operator. In some embodiments, any desiredinput may be used as a basis for a determination of a commission. Forexample, a commission may be based on a spread (e.g., a large spread mayhave a reduced commission, a small spread may have an increasedcommission, a small spread may have a reduced commission, a large spreadmay have an increased commission), a commission may be based on a timeof an event and/or wagering opportunity offering (e.g., a lowercommission for times that are less busy, a larger commission for timesthat are more busy, a lower commission for times that are more busy, alarger commission for times that are less busy), and/or anycharacteristic that may define a wagering opportunity and/or wagerrequest.

b. Control Interfacing

Some embodiments may include facilitating an operating interface and/orAPI. Such an interface and/or API may allow a gaming operator toestablish new wagering opportunities, modify existing wageringopportunities, override automated decisions, and so on. Through such aninterface, a user and/or device may submit information about a desiredand/or offered wagering opportunity offer, close, and/or otherwisecontrol the wagering opportunity. In some embodiments, such an interfacemay accept an electronic message that may include a command, and/or oneor more parameters. Such a message may include an XML message and/or anydesired message format that may be understood by a device receiving themessage. Such a message may be sent in response to an operator enteringinformation in a user interface instructing the message to be sent. Forexample, an operator may control when a wagering opportunity is offeredand/or closed by entering such information in a user interface. Thedevice being accessed by the operator may interpret the enteredinformation, generate or/and transmit an electronic message in a formatthat may be understood by a receiving device to instruct the receivingdevice to offer, modify, and/or close a wagering opportunity having thedesired parameters. It should be recognized that such an interface mayallow any desired wagering opportunity to be created, managed, and so onthrough a remote user interface by one or more operators, auditors,regulators, and/or customers as desired. In some embodiments, similarfunctionality may be provided for control of acceptance of wagerrequests (e.g., an operator may adjust parameters that control anautomated wager request acceptance, an operator may manually accept awager request, and so on).

c. Data Collection, Sale, and/or Usage

Some embodiments may include determining data regarding one or morewagers and/or wager requests. Such data may be recorded, sold,processed, modified, and so on as desired such as by a computing deviceof a gaming operator. Such data may include, for example, a number ofwagers, an amount wagered, a number of people wagering, a number ofwager requests, an amount of money requested to be wagered, request forwagering opportunities, an amount of unaccepted money associated withwager requests, a number of people requesting that a particular wageringopportunity be offered, and so on. Further examples of such data mayinclude information about wagers and/or wager requests that may not havebeen placed or otherwise submitted. For example, in some embodiments,such information may include wager requests that were submitted after awagering opportunity was closed (e.g., a bettor submitted the wagerrequest too late), before a wagering opportunity was offered (e.g., abettor submitted a wager request too early), not submitted but entered(e.g., a user changed his or her mind after entering information about awager request into an interface and the interface transmits suchinformation for use as data). Such data may be collected by a computingdevice, a person, and so on.

In some embodiments, for example, if a gaming operator receives morerequests for a Bears side of a Bears vs Packers wagering opportunitythan the gaming operator determines should be accepted (e.g., based on arisk analysis), the gaming operator may reject at least a portion of oneor more wager requests on the Bears. Data regarding the rejectedrequests may indicate that at the particular odds and/or spread, thatmore money is available for the Bears than the Packers. Such informationmay be useful in establishing odds, offering wagers, and so on.

For example, odds may be adjusted to balance an amount of money at riskon both sides in such an embodiment by adjusting odds of a next wageringopportunity so that the Bears are less favored in response todetermining that at a first set of odds more money is put at risk on theBears. Such an imbalance in risk may be indicative of a miscalculationof odds if the desire of calculating odds is to match the perceivedproper odds of the wagering population. Accordingly, an imbalance inrisk associated with an offered wagering opportunity may be used toadjust any desired future wagering opportunity odds, spread, and/orother characteristic. It should be recognized that such data may includedata from any number of wagering opportunities over any period of time.In some embodiments, data from more recent wagering opportunities may begiven more weight in a calculation for determining an odds adjustment.

As another example, such data may be used to determine that anotheroffering at the particular odds and spread should be made because thereis leftover demand on at least one side of a wagering opportunity. Suchleftover demand may be referred to as latent demand and/or unmet demand.Such data may be considered an indication of interest in such a wageringopportunity and may be used to determine which wagering opportunities tooffer in the future. For example, a same and/or similar wageringopportunity may be schedule in response to a determination that there isgreater than a threshold imbalance in risk in a prior offered wageringopportunity.

Such information may be desired by one or more other gaming operators.Such gaming operators may use such information, for example to determineodds, spreads, and/or other characteristics of wagers to offer (e.g.,through sports books). In some embodiments, a gaming operator may sellsuch data to another gaming operator. Such sale may take place in anauction format (e.g., a slice of data going to a highest bidder), in asubscription format (e.g., sports books subscribe to a service to obtaina feed of such data), through an online marketplace, in person, througha website, and so on. In some embodiments, such sale may include a saleof a slice of date based on a time (e.g., data determined in a timeperiod), based on an event (e.g., data about an event), based on asingle wagering opportunity (e.g., data from a single wageringopportunity offering), based on a characteristic of wageringopportunities (e.g., data about wagering opportunities with similarcharacteristics), and so on. It should be recognized that sale of suchdata in slices and/or whole and/or methods of sales of such data maytake any form and that examples given herein are non-limiting.

d. Information Obscurity

Some embodiments may include suppressing evidence of one or more piecesof data. Such suppression of evidence may include any desired action ofinformation obscurity, misinformation, leakage prevention, and so on.

In some embodiments, a bettor or other user (e.g., an observer) may beable to determine an amount of a wager request that may be accepted ifthe bettor makes a wager request for a wagering opportunity. Forexample, a current amount at risk on each side of a wagering opportunitymay be displayed or otherwise available to such a bettor. Suchinformation and/or one or more business rules that may be known to abettor may allow the bettor to determine the amount that may be acceptedof a submitted wager request. Conversely, based on an amount accepted ofa submitted wager request, the bettor may be able to determine theamount that was risked on another side of an offered wageringopportunity (e.g., if not all of a wager was accepted the bettor maydetermine how much demand was on the other side to result in theunaccepted amount), and/or the amount of imbalance that there may be ina marketplace. In some embodiments, knowledge of such demand and/orimbalance may provide a gaming operator with a competitive advantage(e.g., in setting lines), and/or may provide a revenue source (e.g., inselling such information to other gaming operators).

In some embodiments, it may be desired to prevent such information frombeing determined (e.g., without authorization and/or purchase) by abettor and/or other user (e.g., a competing gaming operator). In someembodiments, evidence of such information may be suppressed to preventsuch information from being determined. For example, in someembodiments, a random element may be introduced into a determination ofrisk to be accepted for one or more sides of a wagering opportunity. Forexample, a random number generator may be used to determine an amount tobe accepted on a side of a wagering opportunity that was more risk inreceived wager requests. In a fully risk balancing embodiment, wagerrequests that are associated with the extra risk may be rejected. Insome embodiments, some portion may be accepted even though suchacceptance may imbalance a risk. In some embodiments, a determination ofthat portion may be based on a random number generation. For example, arandom percentage of the risk may be accepted, a random percentage up toa random total amount may be accepted, a random total amount may beaccepted, and so on. For example, in some embodiments, an imbalance onone side that has more risk may have some amount accepted that exceeds aperfect balance that ranges between 10 and 20% of an excess from anotherside. The amount between 10 and 20% may be determined at random. Itshould be recognized that any number of business rules may be applied todetermine the amount and that any one or more of the business rules mayinclude an element of randomness.

e. Examples of Odds, Spreads, and/or Other Characteristic Determinations

In some embodiments, one or more odds, spreads, and/or othercharacteristics for a wagering opportunity may be determined based onone or more other characteristics of such a wagering opportunity. Insome embodiments, to make such a determination, data regarding sportsbook lines and/or other wagering opportunities may be used. In someembodiments, such determination may include converting one or morecharacteristics to one or more other characteristics using an analysisof an effect of a change to the characteristic (e.g., an effect that achange to one point in a spread has on an odds of a game). Such ananalysis may include a mathematical analysis, a historical analysis, aMarkov chain based analysis, a comparative analysis, machine analysis, ahuman analysis, a lookup table based analysis, and so on.

For example, odds offered on a Bears vs Packers game may be receivedfrom one or more sports books. Such received odds may be used todetermine the odds for a wagering opportunity (e.g., the wageringopportunity's odds may be the received odds, some average, a consensusodds based on some weighting of received odds, and so on). For example,such odds for a wagering opportunity may include odds offered by asports book associated with a gaming operator outside of an offering ofthe wagering opportunity.

Sports books or other gaming operators in Las Vegas, for example, mayoffer different odds for placing a wager on a particular game. Suchsports books may generally offer a same point spread with somewhatdifferent odds based on their own proprietary odds calculation methods.For example, one sports book may offer Bears +3.5 wagers at +109/−109and another sports book may offer that Bears +3.5 wagers at +111/−111.Some embodiments may receive such odds information and determine oddsfor a wagering opportunity based on such information. For example,wagering opportunities with the same odds and/or spread of one or moreof the received odds and/or spreads may be offered. As another example,a wagering opportunity with a consensus odds and/or spread may beoffered.

As another example, such odds and/or spread information may be used asinput to an algorithm for adjusting an odds and/or spread calculation ofa gaming operator in determining future wagering opportunities in anydesired manner.

In some embodiments, one or more desired point spreads may be determinedfor a wagering opportunity. Such point spread may include a previouslyoffered point spread, a point spread offered by other gaming operators,a requested point spread, a point spread that is expected to drawwagers, and so on. For example, a determination may be made that for aBears vs Packers game, a wagering opportunity with a point spread of+5.5 for the Bears may be offered. Such a determination may be made inany manner. For example, such a determination may be made in response toa request for such a wagering opportunity, based on prior leftoverdemand for such a wagering opportunity, based on demand in a priorwagering opportunity with same and/or similar spread, based on a desireto provide a variety of point spreads and prior point spreads offered,and so on. It should be recognized that such a point spread may be anynumber (e.g., whole, fractions, even, odd, zero, positive, negative,etc.).

In some embodiments, one or more conversions may be determined. Such aconversion may be used to convert an odds for a first point spread intoan odds for a second point spread. Determining such a conversion mayinclude determining a reference table that may take as input a firstodds for a first spread and a desired spread and may output a desiredodds for the desired spread. Such a conversion may be determined basedon prior games involving one or more parties, movements in an oddsoffered by one or more sports books for the game as an offered pointspread in the game changes, an/or any desired information. For example,if in prior games involving a same pair of teams, and/or a prior lineoffered, a single point increase in a spread resulted in a 10 point oddsdifference, then in a next game such information may be used todetermine a price value of each point of a spread (e.g., 10 points).

In some embodiments, a conversion may include a value for a point and/ora fraction of a point in a spread (e.g., add 10 points in odds to team Aand subtract 10 points from team B for each point in a spread). In someembodiments, a cost of each point may be same or similar at multiplespreads levels (e.g., 10 points for each point). In some embodiments, adifferent cost may apply to different spreads (e.g., the cost to changefrom a spread of 5.5 to 6.5 may be different than the cost to changefrom an 8.5 to a 9.5 spread). In some embodiments, a change for eachteam's odds may be same (e.g., 10 points to each team) and/or different.

In some embodiments, if odds for a first spread are determined in anymanner, such odds may be converted using such a determined conversion.Some embodiments may include determining a desired odds for a desiredspread based on an input odds (e.g., a consensus price, a price offeredby a sports book) for an input spread. For example, an input odds andspread for a game of the Bears vs the Packers may include +3.5 and+110/−110 and a desired spread may include Bears +4.5. Based on aconversion method, the +3.5 +110/−110 information may be converted intoa price and spread pair of Bears +4.5 +120/−120. It should be recognizedthat various method of determining and/or making a conversion of anyodds (e.g., a consensus price) at a first spread to a desired odds at adesired spread may be used in various embodiments.

Some embodiments may include adjusting one or more odds and/or spreadsbased on determined wagering related data. For example, some embodimentsmay include adjusting odds and/or spreads in favor of one side of afuture wagering opportunity if there was a leftover demand for wagers onthe other side of a wagering opportunity in a prior wageringopportunity. In some embodiments, such an adjustment may be performedafter a conversion, before a conversion, as part of a conversion. Suchleftover demand may include an amount of requests, number of bettors,amounts wagered, and/or any other data regarding demand in a wageringopportunity. Odds may be determined based on such demand, for example,by adjusting odds to be less favorable to a team that has more demand ina two team event.

In some embodiments, an adjusted and/or converted odds and/or spread maybe offered for a wagering opportunity. Such a wagering opportunity mayinclude a desired spread offered at a desired price. In someembodiments, such a wagering opportunity may include a money line havingno spread.

In some embodiments, a determination of odds for a game may be made orunderstood to be made based on a Markov chain or state based analysis.For example, given state A of the teams in the game, apply the statetransition B that models play of the game, to state A, and receive stateC, the conclusion of the game. Further examples of such state analysisare given for example, U.S. provisional application 61/405,354 toAmaitis, entitled “Inside Wagering” and filed Oct. 21, 2010, which hasbeen incorporated herein by reference. In such state analysis, theprobabilities determined by a matrix or other structure represented bystate C may be used to determine prices for a wager on a game with agiven spread. State C may represent a probability of each possibleoutcome occurring (e.g., the probabilities that the Bears will beat thePackers by each of a possible number of points and the probabilitiesthat the Packers will beat the Bears with each of a possible number ofpoints). State C may represent an expected outcome of a game that mayhave a highest probability. Such probability and/or probabilities mayform a basis for prices of wagers on the outcome or outcomes representedby the state.

FIG. 11 illustrates an example method that may be used to model one ormore games based on a state analysis. The method may include receivinginformation about a state (e.g., 1101). The method may includedetermining a modeling of the state (e.g., 1103). The method may includereceiving information about transitions (e.g., 1105). The method mayinclude determining a modeling of a transition (e.g., 1106). The methodmay include determining a modeling of a second state based on thedetermined modeling of the state and the transition (e.g., 1109). Themethod may include accumulating data about a transition path (e.g.,1111). The method may include determining whether a last state of aseries of possible states has been reached (e.g., 1113). If the laststate has not been reached, the method may loop to block 1105. If thelast state has been reached, the method may include determining odds fora wager based on accumulated data (e.g., 1115). It should be recognizedthat this method is given as a non-limiting example of modeling wageringopportunities based on state transitions.

In some embodiments, a gaming operator may receive an indication of oddsfor wagering on one possible outcome (e.g., from another gamingoperator). Such information may provide information about theexpectations of initial states and/or transition states used to reachthe modeled outcome state that results in the odds and/or spreadoffered. In some embodiments, such state analysis may be used, inreverse, to determine a relationship between a state C embodied in aodds and/or spread into a different price and/or spread. For example,given state C and/or some of state C (e.g., an odds and/or spread thatmay represent state C), and knowing state A (e.g., based on publicinformation about the teams), the values or some and/or all of thevalues of state B may be determined and/or refined using linear algebraand/or estimation. Such determination and/or refinement may then be usedto determine a new odds and/or spread (e.g., by adjusting one or morevalues of a transition B and recalculating a state C based on suchadjustments).

f. Custom Line Setting

Some embodiments may facilitate bettors establishing a custom wageringopportunity. For example, some embodiments may include an interfacethrough which a bettor may submit a request that a wagering opportunitywith a particular set of characteristics be offered in the future. Sucha request may be submitted through an interface of a computing device.In response to such a request, a wagering opportunity may be offeredand/or determined to be offered. In some embodiments, such a wageringopportunity may be offered in response to a number of such requestsreaching a threshold number (e.g., within a time period).

In some embodiments such a request for a wagering opportunity mayidentify an amount that a bettor wants to wager. Such amount may be usedto determine if the wagering opportunity should be offered (e.g., basedon it exceeding a threshold, based on a comparison of the amount withother amounts identified and/or determined to be desired to be wageredin other wagering opportunities). In some embodiments, such a requestmay bind a bettor to wager such an amount if the wagering opportunity isoffered.

Some embodiments may include receiving a request for a particularwagering opportunity. Such a request may identify one or more componentsof a desired opportunity. For example, such a request may identify adesired price and/or a desired spread. Such a request may identify adesired minimum wager, a desired maximum wager, a desired opening time,a desired closing time, a desired length, a desired game, and/or anydesired characteristic. Such desires may influence a decision making forthe offering of future wagering opportunities.

In some embodiments, an exactly requested wagering opportunity may notbe offered, but a wagering opportunity that may be similar to a numberof such requested opportunities may be determined and/or offered. Forexample, if a wager request for a +105 odds and another request for a+103 odds are both received, a +104 odds may be offered as an attempt tosatisfy both such requests.

In some embodiments, a request for a wagering opportunity may identify adesired point spread for wagering opportunity based on a Bears vsPackers game (e.g., Bears +1.5). In some embodiments, a price for such awagering opportunity may be determined in response to receiving such arequest. Various examples of price determination are described elsewhereherein (e.g., conversion from another line). In response to receivingthe request, a wagering opportunity with the desired spread and at thedetermined price may be offered. For example, the opportunity may beoffered immediately after determining the characteristics, at a nextavailable offering time, at a next unscheduled offering time, at sometime in the future, at a requested time, and/or as desired.

In some embodiments, a request for a wagering opportunity at a firstprice may be received (e.g., for the Bears at +190). In someembodiments, a spread for such a wagering opportunity may be determinedin response to receiving such a request. A spread may be determined, forexample, by a conversion method by performing multiple conversions fromone spread to possible other spreads to determine which spread isassociated with a price that may be similar to the desired price. Insome embodiments, a combination of spread and price may be selected thatmay be closes to the requested price, that may be closest without goingover or under the price, and so on. In some embodiments, a spreadassociated with a close and/or closest price may be selected and offeredwith the price.

In some embodiments, a wagering opportunity having a determined and/orrequested characteristics in any combination may be offered in responseto receiving and/or determining the characteristic. As discussedelsewhere herein, such request for wagering opportunities may be part ofdata that may be collected and/or used in any manner by a gamingoperator. It should be recognized that methods of performing suchdetermination are given as non-limiting examples only.

g. Example System

FIG. 12 illustrates an example system that may be used in someembodiments. Such a system may include any type of devices and/or peopleoperating as desired in any combination.

Some embodiments may include a user device (e.g., computing device1201). Such a device may include a kiosk, mobile device, touch pad,computer, cell phone, and so on as desired. Such a device may beoperable to transmit information, receive input, display information,provide interfaces, receive transmissions, and so on.

Some embodiments may include a network access point (e.g., 1203). Such adevice may allow access to a communication network. Such a device mayinclude a wireless access point as illustrated that may allow a userdevice to access a wireless network through which gaming services may beprovided. Such a device may include an edge router that may allowdevices to access a communication network through which gaming servicesmay be provided.

Some embodiments may include a local network (e.g., 1205). Such a localnetwork may allow communication between an access point and one or morecomputing devices that may provide gaming services in combination and/oralone.

Some embodiments may include a request manager (e.g., 1207). Such adevice may receive, process, accept, and/or perform any desiredprocesses with respect to wager requests. For example, such a device mayqueue received wager requests, determine which wager requests to accept,and/or accept those wager requests, as desired.

Some embodiments may include an odds processing device (e.g., 1209).Such a device may calculate odds to be offered (e.g., based on requestand/or other data, based on conversion, and so on). Such a device maymake any determination of any characteristic for a desired wageringopportunity. In some embodiments such a device may process data to besold and/or provided to outside sources as desired.

Some embodiments may include a sports book and/or other wageringopportunity managing device (e.g., 1211). Such a device may presentinformation about wagering opportunities, make determinations aboutupcoming wagering opportunities, and so on. Such a device may allowtraditional sports books wagers to take place through such a system.

Some embodiments may include any number of additional and/or alternativedevices that may provide any desired capabilities. For example, someembodiments may include an auditing device, a history device, asettlement device, a location determination device, a connection to theInternet, and so on.

It should be recognized that this example system is given as anon-limiting example only and that other embodiments may include anydesired methods and/or apparatus in any combination and/or arrangementas desired. For example, one or more processors may operate oninformation about wager requests, odds, wagering opportunities, eventcharacteristics, requests for wagering opportunities, and so on in anymanner to make a determination and/or produce an outcome. Suchinformation may be stored in a database and/or memory location and/orreceived from an outside source.

XVI. Embodiments

The following should be understood as example embodiments and not asclaims. It should be recognized that while various example embodimentsof apparatus and/or methods are described herein that these exampleembodiments are non-limiting. No particular element is required, andvarious other embodiments may include any desired element(s) (e.g.,apparatus, actions, methods, devices, etc.) whether describe herein ornot in any combination and/or arrangement. Some embodiments may includefacilitating one or more actions and/or features and/or one or moredevices configured to facilitating one or more actions and/or features.

A. An apparatus comprising: a tangible machine readable medium havingstored thereon a plurality of instructions that when executed by acomputing device cause the computing device to: offer, for a limitedamount of time, a wagering opportunity defined by particular odds foreach of at least two outcomes of an event, in which the particular oddsare held constant throughout the amount of time; receive a plurality ofrespective first wager requests for wagers based on a first outcome ofthe at least two outcomes during the amount of time; receive a pluralityof respective second wager requests for wagers based on a second outcomeof the at least two outcomes during the amount of time, in which wagersrelated to the first outcome offset a risk associated with wagersrelated to the second outcome; and determine a respective first portionof a first wager request and a respective second portion of a secondwager request to accept based on a cumulative risk of accepting both thefirst portion and the second portion.

A.1. The apparatus of claim A, in which offering the wageringopportunity includes: determining that the event has at least the twopossible outcomes; determining a demand for the wagering opportunityassociated with the event; determining that the wagering opportunityshould be offered based on the demand; determining odds for each of theat least two outcomes for the wagering opportunity; determining a spreadfor the wagering opportunity; determining a start time for an offeringof the wagering opportunity; determining the amount of time for theoffering of the wagering opportunity; and transmitting information aboutthe wagering opportunity at the start time.

A.1.1. The apparatus of claim A.1, in which determining the demandincludes determining the demand based on at least one of a demand from aprior offered wagering opportunity, and a request for a wageringopportunity.

A.1.2. The apparatus of claim A.1, in which the outcomes are mutuallyexclusive.

A.2. The apparatus of claim A, in which each wager request may bereceived from a respective bettor, and in which the computing device iscaused to login the respective bettor, present the respective bettorwith an interface through which the respective bettor may submitinformation about the wager request, and confirm the wager request withthe respective bettor.

A.2.1. The apparatus of claim A.2, in which the interface includes aninterface of a mobile device.

A.3. The apparatus of claim A, in which determining the respectiveportions includes: determining a first risk for a house based on wagersplaced on an event, in which the risk is based on an amount of moneythat the house may be obligated to pay if a first outcome of the eventoccurs; determining a second risk that the house may take on byaccepting the first portion, in which the first portion is associatedwith the first outcome; determining a third risk that the house may takeon by accepting the second portion, in which the second portion isassociated with the second outcome, in which the third risk offsets atleast a part of the first and second risks; and determining the firstportion and the second portion that should be accepted to reduce acombined risk of the first risk and second risk offset by the thirdrisk.

A.3.1. The apparatus of claim A.3, in which the first risk includes arisk from an imbalance in risk from a prior wagering opportunity.

A.3.2. The apparatus of claim A.3., in which the first portion andsecond portion are determined to minimize the combined risk.

A.3.3. The apparatus of claim A.3., in which the first portion and thesecond portion are determined such that the combined risk is within atleast one of a desired percentage of total wagered amounts and a desiredvalue.

A.4. The apparatus of claim A, in which the computing device is furthercaused to: form a first wager with a first bettor based on the firstportion and a second wager with a second bettor based on the secondportion.

A.4.1. The apparatus of claim A, in which the computing device isfurther caused to reject at least one second wager request based on adetermination that accepting the second wager request would cause animbalance in risk.

A.5. The apparatus of claim A.4, in which the determination of the firstand second portion is made after the amount of time has passed.

A.6. The apparatus of claim A, in which the computing device is furthercaused to charge a commission for the second wager request that is basedon the particular odds of the second wager request.

A.7. The apparatus of claim A, in which the computing device is furthercaused to record data regarding an imbalance in demand for wagers on thesecond outcome.

A.7.1. The apparatus of claim A.7, in which the computing device isfurther caused to: sell the data to a gaming provider.

A.7.2. The apparatus of claim A.7, in which the computing device isfurther caused to: use the data to determine a second wageringopportunity to be offered.

A.8. The apparatus of claim A, in which the computing device is furthercause to receive a request for an offering of a second wageringopportunity with a second spread; determine an odds for the secondwagering opportunity based on the spread, a spread of the first wageringopportunity, an odds of the first wagering opportunity, and a conversionbetween one spread and another spread; and offering the second wageringopportunity.

A.9. The apparatus of claim A, in which the apparatus further comprisesthe computing device.

A.9.1. The apparatus of claim A.9, in which the computing deviceincludes a processor.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a tangible machinereadable medium having stored thereon a plurality of instructions thatwhen executed by a computing device cause the computing device to:offer, for a limited amount of time, a wagering opportunity defined byparticular odds for each of at least two outcomes of an event, in whichthe particular odds are held constant throughout the amount of time;receive a plurality of respective first wager requests for wagers basedon a first outcome of the at least two outcomes during the amount oftime; receive a plurality of respective second wager requests for wagersbased on a second outcome of the at least two outcomes during the amountof time, in which wagers related to the first outcome offset a riskassociated with wagers related to the second outcome; and determine arespective first portion of a first wager request and a respectivesecond portion of a second wager request to accept based on a cumulativerisk of accepting both the first portion and the second portion.